Packaging system having an audio device

ABSTRACT

A packaging system for a consumer product includes a container having an interior space for holding the consumer product therein and an audio device having a prerecorded verbal message that is related to the consumer product.

BACKGROUND

The field of this invention relates generally to packaging systems forconsumer goods and in particular to packaging systems for consumer goodshaving an audio device programmed to emit a message.

Consumer products are often transported, stored, displayed by aretailer, and purchased by a consumer while packaged in a packagingsystem. Along with a container to hold the consumer product or products,packaging systems often include written literature related to theproduct (e.g., instructions, owner's manual, product registration card,etc.). However, this information is often ignored by the consumer. Insome instances, the written information is discarded with the containerupon removal of the consumer product from the container. This is oftenthe case when the written information is provided directly on thecontainer. In other instances, the written information, when providedseparate from the container, is often set aside or misplaced by theconsumer.

For consumer products, such as those geared toward young children, theconsumer is unable to read the written information. Disposable absorbenttraining pants, which are useful in toilet (or potty) training children,are one example of a consumer product directed to young children.Training pants provide a child undergoing toilet training with anundergarment that eases the transition from diapers to washable, clothunderwear as they become more confident in their ability to use thetoilet independently. Typically, disposable absorbent training pants aresimilar to washable, cloth underwear in the manner in which they are puton and worn, yet provide an absorbent function similar to diapers tomaintain skin health and prevent leakage. More specifically,conventional training pants include an absorbent body disposed betweenan inner layer adapted for contacting the wearer's skin and an outerlayer for inhibiting liquid waste absorbed by the absorbent body fromleaking out of the pants. The inner layer of the training pants istypically liquid permeable to permit body waste to pass therethrough forabsorption by the absorbent body.

The toilet training process is usually a frustrating experience for boththe caregiver and the child (or wearer). This process can be much lessfrustrating when both the caregiver and child are informed about thetoilet training process and how to go about it. It would also be lessfrustrating if it can be made more fun for the young child. Thus, thereis a need for a packaging system that is able to inform both thecaregiver and child about the toilet training process while making theprocess more fun for the child.

It is understood that the need for more suitable packaging systemsextends beyond those for training pants and that packaging systems formany other consumer products suffer from similar shortcomings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one aspect, a packaging system for a consumer product generallycomprises a container having an interior space for holding the consumerproduct therein and an audio device having a prerecorded verbal messagethat is related to the consumer product.

In another aspect, a packaging system for a plurality of absorbentarticles generally comprises a container having a bottom unit and acover. The cover and bottom unit cooperatively define an interior space.The cover is moveable relative to the bottom unit for gaining access tothe interior space. A plurality of absorbent articles is disposed withinthe interior space of the container. An audio device is operativelyconnected to the cover so that movement of the cover relative to thebottom unit to gain access to the interior space of the containeractivates the audio device.

In yet another aspect, a packaging system for holding a food itemgenerally comprises a container having a bottom unit and a cover. Thebottom unit collectively defines an interior space for receiving thefood therein. The packaging system also includes an audio device havinga prerecorded message.

In still another aspect, a method of potty training a child generallycomprises obtaining a training pants from a container having an audiodevice. The audio device is adapted for emitting a prerecorded messagethat is directed to potty training. The message stored on the audiodevice is played.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially-cutaway perspective view of one embodiment of apackaging system for personal care products wherein the packaging systemincludes a storage bin with a bottom unit and a cover.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the packaging system of FIG. 1 with thecover removed from the bottom unit.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a packaging systemwherein the packaging system includes a container for receiving a foodproduct.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the packaging system of FIG. 3 with acover of the container opened and showing the food product therein.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a packaging system 100 of a firstembodiment includes a storage bin 110 (broadly, a “container”) having abottom unit 115 and a cover 120 (broadly, a “closure”). The cover 120can be formed integrally with the storage bin bottom unit 115 or can beformed separately. In other words, the cover 120 can either be partially(e.g., living hinge, mechanical hinge) or completely removable from thestorage bin bottom unit 115, and can be capable of being reattached toor re-set upon the storage bin bottom unit to close the storage bin 110.The cover 120 can be a separate piece that is attached to the storagebin 110 with a tab-and-slot mechanism that forms a usable, flip-topopening and closing lid. In another embodiment, a flip-top cover can bea component of the storage bin bottom unit 115 and can form a usable,flip-top opening and closing lid employing a scored, folded hinge. Inyet another embodiment, the cover 120 can be in the form of single ormultiple flaps. The illustrated storage bin 110 is a generallyrectangular box but can be formed in any suitable shape, e.g., an oval,a hemisphere, a triangle, a square.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage bin bottom unit 115 andcover 120 together define an interior space 125 of the storage bin 110.In one suitable embodiment, the interior space 125 of the storage bin110 can contain one or more consumer products for transport, retailsale, and home use. In one particularly suitable embodiment, theconsumer product can be a plurality of personal care products, forinstance, a moist or dry wipe, a toiletry, or an absorbent article suchas a diaper, a training pant, an incontinence product, a femininehygiene product, a medical garment, a bandage, or the like. Oftenpersonal care products are disposable, meaning that they are designed tobe discarded after a limited use rather than being laundered orotherwise restored for reuse. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, theinterior space 125 of the storage bin 110 is seen containing a pluralityof disposable training pants 200, each being in a folded configuration.It is understood that any suitable consumer product can be placed intothe interior space 125 of the storage bin 110 for transport, retailsale, and home use.

In one suitable embodiment, the packaging system 100 is adapted to bereused and/or recycled. In one example, the interior space 125 of thestorage bin 110 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be restocked with a newsupply of training pants 200. In another example, the interior space 125of the storage bin 110 can be used to store other items, e.g., toys,clothes, books, or the like. In other words, the illustrated storage bin110 can be restocked with the original consumer product or can be usedto store different items.

As seen in FIG. 1, the training pants 200 can be contained within one ormore inner packages 160. Such inner packages 160 can providecompression, containment, environmental protection, and/or organization.In one embodiment, the inner package 160 is a flexible consumer package,which refers to non-rigid containers such as polyethylene bags, whichare adapted to contain personal care products and are adapted to bepresented to a consumer. In other embodiments, the inner package 160 ismanufactured from standard poly film, paper, woven or nonwoven fabric,or from any other suitable material or combination of materials and inany suitable manner. The training pants 200 can be removed from theinner package 160 making them easier to access by either the caregiveror the wearer as seen in FIG. 2. It is also contemplated that the innerpackages 160 can be omitted. In this embodiment, the training pants 200can be placed directly into the interior space 125 of the storage bin.

The interior space 125 of the storage bin 110 can include dividers orother structure (not shown) suitable for breaking up the interior space125 into smaller portions. The cover 120 of the storage bin 110 can alsobe configured such that it is a drawer that is slidably inserted intothe interior space 125 of the storage bin 110. Positioning the storagebin 110 such that the storage bin opening is on a side of the storagebin 110 enhances the use of the drawer and the appearance of the storagebin 110 as a dresser. In this aspect, the drawer can include dividers orother structure suitable for breaking up the drawer into smallerportions. In such an embodiment, it is contemplated that the interiorspace 125 of the storage bin 110 can include different consumerproducts, which may or may not be related.

The storage bin 110 can be manufactured from any suitable materialincluding corrugated cardboard, injection-molded or other plastic, filmmaterial, wood, woven or nonwoven fabrics, or a combination of these. Asa result, the storage bin 110 can be rigid or flexible. The entirestorage bin 110 or portions thereof can be opaque, translucent, orgenerally transparent, and can be of any suitable color. In one example,the storage bin 110 can be manufactured from corrugated cardboard sturdyenough to support reuse of the storage bin 110 by the consumer. In onesuitable embodiment, the storage bin 110 is made from containerboard.Containerboard has two main components: a linerboard and a medium. Thelinerboard is a flat facing or liner and is adhered to the medium. Themedium is corrugated or fluted paper glued between at least twolinerboard facings. The linerboard can be single face, single wall,double wall, or triple wall. Flutes come in several common sizes orprofiles ranging from size A (33 flutes/foot) to size F (125flutes/foot). Smaller flute profiles provide enhanced structural andgraphics capability for primary and retail packaging, while larger fluteprofiles provide greater vertical compression strength and cushioning.Different flute profiles can be combined in one piece of combined board.Mixing flute profiles allows designers to manipulate the compressionstrength and total thickness of the combined board.

A flat piece of containerboard that has been cut, slotted, and scored iscalled a box blank. For some box styles, in order to make a box, theends of the box blank must be fastened together with glue, tape,staples, or other suitable fasteners. The location where the ends meetis known as a manufacturer's joint. For the illustrated storage bin 110,a manufacturer's joint is located on the inside of the storage bin. Thisis done for both aesthetics and safety reasons. Also, for the storagebin 110 and cover 120 in general, it is desired to use glue versus tapedor stapled. Suitable glues include starch-based adhesives that areavailable in several levels of water resistance.

In one embodiment, the cover 120 can include a latching element (notshown) to allow the cover to be positively attached to the storage binbottom unit 115. The latching element can be any suitable mechanism,including adhesives, rigid or flexible tabs that engage a slot or otherdevice, elements to allow the cover 120 to be snapped onto the storagebin bottom unit 115, a simple friction fit, hardware such as hinges andhasps, or any combination of these. The cover 120 can have anindentation sized to the outline of the lower face 130 of anotherstorage bin 110 to assist in positioning and to provide stability whilestacking storage bins 110.

The packaging system 100 includes product-identifying graphics 195, suchas, the type or types of personal care products disposed in the interiorspace 125 (e.g., training pants 200) of the storage bin 110, the size orsizes of personal care products disposed in the interior space, and thecount, amount, or volume of personal care products disposed in theinterior space 125. Product-identifying graphics 195 can also includethe name of the manufacturer, trademarks, customer service information,instructions, patent markings, and any other information typicallydisposed on a package of personal care products or other consumerproduct.

Further, to enhance the caregiver's and wearer's interest in reusing thestorage bin 110, the storage bin can also includenon-product-identifying graphics 190. The non-product-identifyinggraphics 190 can include designs, patterns, characters, or any othersuitable graphic elements, including those that might be attractive to achild or other users of the storage bin 110. For example, thenon-product-identifying graphics 190 can include depictions of a popularcartoon character as well as depictions of items and/or colorsassociated with that character. The non-product-identifying graphics 190on the storage bin 110 can be registered in relation to the storage binbottom unit 115. The non-product-identifying graphics 190 on the storagebin 110 can include graphic elements such as labels, hinges, hasps,locks, and other elements to enhance the look of the storage bin 110.The non-product-identifying graphics 190 can further, or alternatively,include textured elements such as those that can be supplied byembossing. Non-product-identifying graphics 190 can also be applied orotherwise disposed within the interior space 125 of the storage bin 110(i.e., disposed on the inner surfaces of the storage bin).

Still further, the non-product-identifying graphics 190 can includegraphic elements designed to make the storage bin 110 resemble ahousehold item, including a household storage item such as a chest, adresser, a cabinet, a toy box, a toy, a wardrobe, a trunk, a jewelrybox, or a similar item. For example, the addition of real or graphichinges and pulls and coordinating graphics can make the storage bin 110resemble such a household storage item. In one embodiment, the storagebin 110 can include one or more attachments or accessories to enhancethe resemblance of the storage bin to a household item, includingsimulated feet, handles, or backs. Such attachments or accessories canbe attached to the storage bin 110 or included within the storage bin110 by the manufacturer, or may be provided to the consumer by anysuitable means for further assembly by the consumer.

The storage bin 110 can include a label 180 for allowing the consumer tolabel the storage bin 110 with a child's name, the contents of thestorage bin, or other desired or identifying information. The label 180can be positioned on any face or surface of the storage bin 110.

The packaging system 100 can also include an enclosure that partially orcompletely envelops the storage bin 110. The enclosure can assist inensuring the cover 120 stays in place atop the storage bin bottom unit115 through shipping and retail handling. The enclosure can also providespace on which to provide product, brand, shipping, and other labelinginformation. The enclosure can provide environmental protection toshield the storage bin 110 from dust, dirt, water, and other hazardsthat might otherwise adversely affect the appearance, performance, andvalue of the storage bin 110 and the products within.

In one suitable embodiment, the bin enclosure is an overwrap 175 thatsurrounds all or part of the storage bin 110. In general, the overwrap175 encloses the storage bin 110 to provide a means of keeping the cover120 in place atop the storage bin bottom unit 115, an additional surfaceon which to provide product, brand, shipping, and other labelinginformation, and environmental protection of the storage bin 110 and itscontents. The overwrap 175 can be manufactured from poly film,polarizing film, woven or nonwoven fabric, or any other suitablematerial or combination of materials. The overwrap 175 is wrapped aroundthe storage bin 110 and then attached to itself and/or the storage bin110 using heat, shrinking, adhesives, tabs, or any other suitablemechanisms.

The packaging system 100 can include a sleeve 170 that surrounds all orpart of the vertical perimeter of the storage bin 110. In general, thesleeve encircles the storage bin 110 to provide both a means of keepingthe cover 120 in place atop the storage bin bottom unit 115 and anadditional surface to provide product, brand, shipping, and otherlabeling information. The sleeve 170 has a bin-facing side and anoutward-facing side. The sleeve 170 can be manufactured from paperboard,poly film, woven or nonwoven fabric, or any other suitable material orcombination of materials. The sleeve 170 is wrapped around the storagebin 110 and then attached to itself and/or the storage bin 110 usingadhesives, tabs, or any other suitable mechanisms. The sleeve 170 can becentered on the storage bin 110 (as illustrated) or can be offset towardone side of the storage bin 110.

In some embodiments the packaging system 100 can include both a sleeve170 and an overwrap 175. The sleeve 170 is typically placed directly onthe storage bin 110 as a means of keeping the cover 120 in place atopthe storage bin bottom unit 115. The overwrap 175 is then placed toenclose both the storage bin 110 and the sleeve 170 as environmentalprotection of the storage bin 110 and its contents. Either or both ofthe sleeve 170 and the overwrap 175 can be used as a surface to provideproduct-identifying graphics 195 including product, brand, and otherlabeling information. The sleeve 170 and/or the overwrap 175 of thepackaging system can include indicia indicating one or more secondaryuses of the storage bin 110. It is understood, however, that either orboth of the sleeve 170 and the overwrap 175 can be omitted from thepackaging system 100.

The storage bin 110 can also include at least one hand-hold 155 adaptedto accommodate at least a portion of a human hand to facilitate graspingthe storage bin 110 such as for lifting the storage bin. The hand-hold155 can be positioned on any side, on the lower face 130, or on thecover 120. The storage bin 110 can alternatively include a plurality ofhand-holds 155 positioned on any or all of those locations. In onesuitable embodiment, the hand-hold 155 is defined by a hole formed inthe storage bin 110. The hand-hold 155 can also be a handle or any othersuitable device that can affixed to the storage bin 110 and is adaptedfor grasping such as for lifting the storage bin 110.

The storage bin 110 can be used as a training aid in the toilet trainingprocess. Children are aware that their clothing is kept in dresserdrawers, in a closet, etc. Choosing what they want to wear and trying todress themselves is one of the first steps to becoming a “big kid” andit is a step that children find fun and exciting. At the same time,choosing clothing is a real step towards autonomy for them. Keeping thechild's training pants 200 in the child's own special place, such as adrawer, puts more focus on the product as more underwear-like, and lesslike a diaper, because diapers are for babies and are kept in a bag orin a stack on the changing table.

The practice of keeping training pants 200 in the child's own drawer,for example, meets many of the criteria for a successful training aid.It is motivational for the child. It teaches that absorbent articlesdesigned for training are more like clothing/underwear than like adiaper. It makes the child feel special because the drawer is theirpossession. It makes the child feel grown-up because they can open andclose the storage themselves, and can even have their name on it. It caneven precipitate the move into real, cloth underwear by eventuallykeeping some cloth underwear in “their drawer” in addition to theirtraining pants 200 to wear during the day or whenever they feel liketrying real underwear. In addition, graphic design features that aid intoilet training, e.g., a progress chart or other type of reward chart,can be provided on the storage bin 110.

The packaging system 100 can also include one or more informationalitems meant to instruct a caregiver with respect to the approaches andbenefits described above. The informational item can describe thephilosophy behind treating the storage bin 110 as the child's ownpossession (e.g., their drawer) and in instructing the child to takeownership of the storage bin 110 and the absorbent articles within it.The informational item can also include information with respect toother tips and approaches to successful toilet training includinginformation regarding appropriate responses to an insult incident.Appropriate responses to an insult incident can include discussing thephysical sensations with the wearer; informing the wearer with respectto the relation between the physical sensations and the imminence of theinsult; taking the wearer to a bathroom; positioning the wearer on atoilet; encouraging the wearer to produce an insult; recognizingpositive actions by the wearer; and recognizing toilet training progressby the wearer.

In other embodiments, the packaging system 100 can include otherinformational items such as instructions in the use of the product andtips for toilet training, enuresis control, or incontinence control. Asused herein, the term “informational item” refers to objects that areprovided in addition to training pants 200, are adapted to communicateinformation to the user and/or consumer of the training pants, and areassociated with individual components of the packaging system 100.Examples of informational items include cards, paper, electronic media,printing on the packaging, or other suitable media capable of storingand conveying information. In another aspect of the present application,an informational item can be incorporated into thenon-product-identifying graphics 190. For example, if thenon-product-identifying graphics 190 include a car, a progress chart inthe form of a racetrack can be incorporated into thenon-product-identifying graphics 190.

In one particularly suitable embodiment, information relating to the useof the product and tips for toilet training, enuresis control, orincontinence control can be auditorily conveyed to the caregiver and/orthe user of the training pants 200 via an audio device 300 (FIG. 2). Inone suitable embodiment, the audio device 300 can include prerecordedverbal messages for the caregiver with instructions, guidance, andinformation with respect to potty training a young child. The caregivercan be instructed to respond to an insult while the insult is occurringor as soon as possible thereafter. For example, the caregiver may beinstructed to discuss the physical sensations sensed by the wearerbefore the insult occurs, while the insult is occurring, and after theinsult has occurred, such physical sensations include sensations ofpressure, temperature, wetness, and any other appropriate sensations.The caregiver and wearer may also be auditorily instructed to discussthe relation between the physical sensations and the imminence of theinsult. For example, the caregiver may be instructed to point out thesensations experienced by the wearer just before the insult (i.e., thefeeling of a full bladder) and help the wearer associate thosesensations with the imminence of an insult.

The audio device 300 can also include verbal messages reminding thecaregiver to take the wearer to a bathroom and by discussing therelationship between an insult and the bathroom. The caregiver may befurther instructed to place the wearer on the toilet or other suitablereceptacle (e.g., a potty chair) and to encourage the wearer to producean insult while positioned on the toilet. The audio device 300 may alsoprovide an auditory reminder the caregiver to complete the progresschart and acknowledge that the wearer is becoming a “big kid” when thewearer successfully uses the toilet.

The audio device 300 can also contain verbal messages directed to thewearer. For example, the message may remind the wearer to use thebathroom frequently, to keep his training pants dry, or to wash his/herhands after using the toilet. The audio message can also provideencouragement to the wearer. For example, encouraging audio messages maybe “Great job keeping your training pants dry”; “Good work pottytraining” and/or “You're a big kid now”. The message can also be audioreminders for the wearer, such as, “Did you remember to wash yourhands?” and/or “Did you remember to flush the toilet?”

In another suitable embodiment, the audio device 300 can include amessage that is related to the branding and/or marketing theme of theproduct. In one example, the message stored on the audio device 300 canbe related to the branding and/or marketing theme of the training pants200 disposed in the storage bin 110. In one embodiment, for example, themessage can be recorded in the voice of a cartoon character whose imagealso appears on the training pants 200.

The audio device 300 can also be programmed with music. In oneembodiment, the storage bin 110 can be placed in the bathroom in closeproximity to the toilet other suitable receptacle so that the wearercould activate the audio device while he/she is on the toilet. In asuitable embodiment, the audio device 300 would be preprogrammed with apotty training song that would play when the audio device is activated.Thus, in this embodiment, the potty training song can be selectivelyplayed by the wearer (or caregiver) while the wearer is on the toilet.

In one embodiment, the training pants 200 can include an audio devicethat is activated when an insult occurs, such as that disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/799,209 filed Apr. 30, 2007 and titledWetness Sensor with Audible Signal for an Absorbent Article, which isincorporated herein by reference. The message and/or music stored on theaudio device 300 mounted on the storage bin 110 can be complementary orotherwise related to the message and/or music stored on the audiodevices mounted to the training pants 200. In one particularly suitableembodiment, the audio device 300 mounted on the storage bin 110 playsthe same message and/or music as the audio devices secured to thetraining pants 200. As a result, the message and/or music played by thestorage bin 110 mounted audio device 300 can remind the wearer and thecaregiver that each of the training pants 200 contain an audio deviceand that the wearer should try to avoid activating the audio device inthe training pants. It is also contemplated that the storage bin 110having the audio device 300 can be used to store conventional trainingpants (e.g., training pants without an audio device).

It is contemplated that the audio device 300 can be prerecorded with aplurality of audio messages. In one suitable embodiment, the audiodevice 300 can include audio messages directed to both the caregiver andthe wearer. It is also contemplated that a selection switch can beprovided on the audio device 300 to change between the differentmessages. It is further contemplated that the caregiver can record acustom message on the audio device 300 that can be specifically tailoredtoward the wearer, e.g., “Johnny, you did a great job staying dry allday yesterday.”

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the audio device 300 is located in theinterior space of the storage bin and affixed to the interior of thesidewall adjacent the cover. The audio device 300 can be located inother areas of the storage bin. In one embodiment, the audio device 300includes a prerecorded sound chip, a circuit board, a source ofelectrical power (e.g., batteries), a speaker, and a housing 310 forcontaining the components of the audio device. The speaker is connectedto the sound chip via the circuit board so that the prerecorded messagesstored in the sound chip can be emitted through the speaker. The audiodevice 300 may be mounted on the storage bin in any suitable way withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention. In one suitable embodiment,the housing 310 of the audio device 300 is adhered to the interiorsurface of one of the sidewalls of the storage bin 110.

In one embodiment, the audio device 300 includes an actuator switch 312for activating the audio device (i.e., causing it to play the recordedmessage(s)). The actuator switch 312 may be operatively connected to thecover 120 so that removal of the cover activates the audio device 300.In another embodiment and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the actuator switch312 is a push button that can be selectively activated by the caregiveror wearer by manually pushing the button inward. In yet anotherembodiment, the actuator switch 312 can be a light sensor that activatesthe audio device 300 when there is a sufficient amount of light present,such as when the cover 120 is removed, and deactivated when there is aninsufficient amount of light present, such as when the cover is placedon the bottom unit 115.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another embodiment of a packaging system 500for holding a consumer product in the form of a food item 600. In thisembodiment, the packaging system 500 includes a generally rectangularcontainer 510 having a bottom unit 515 and a cover 520. The bottom unit515 and cover 520 collectively define an interior space 525 forreceiving the food therein. In one suitable embodiment, the cover 520 ofthe container 510 includes a line of weakness 526 for facilitatingopening the container. The illustrated container 510 is a generallyrectangular box but can be formed in any suitable shape, e.g., an oval,a hemisphere, a triangle, a square. It is also contemplated that othersuitable ways of opening the container 510 can be provided (e.g., a pulltab).

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the packaging system includes an audio device700 having prerecorded messages. The audio device 700 is substantiallythe same as the audio device 300 described above with respect to FIG. 1and 2 except for the prerecorded messages. In this embodiment, theprerecorded messages can provide the consumer with information relatingto the food disposed within the container 510 including cookinginstructions, nutritional information, and/or a description of the food.The prerecorded message can also provide warnings regarding potentialfood allergies, such as, “Warning this meal contains peanuts.” Themessages can further provide general nutritional information such asreminding the consumer to eat their fruit and vegetables or to limittheir intact of chips, candy, and fried foods.

The message prerecorded on the audio device 300 can also be unrelated tothe food item (i.e., the consumer product) disposed in the container510. In one example, music is prerecorded on the audio device 300. Inanother example, the prerecorded message is a reminder, such as,“Remember to wash your hands before you eat.”

In another suitable embodiment, the packaging system 500 can beconfigured to hold prescription or non-prescription drugs. In thisembodiment, the prerecorded message on the audio device 700 can providethe consumer with information relating to the drug disposed within thecontainer 510, such as, the recommended dosage, how often the drugshould be taken, and if the drug needs to be taken with water and/orfood. The prerecorded message can also provide the consumer withwarnings regarding the drug including potential drug allergies, druginteractions, and/or side effects of the drug.

When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferredembodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” areintended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms“comprising,” “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive andmean that there may be additional elements other than the listedelements.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

1. A packaging system for a consumer product comprising a container having an interior space for holding the consumer product therein and an audio device having a prerecorded verbal message that is related to the consumer product.
 2. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein the container includes a bottom unit and a cover, the audio device being disposed in the bottom unit and operatively connected to the cover such that movement of the cover relative to the bottom unit activates the audio device.
 3. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein the audio device includes a push button actuator switch for causing the audio device to play the prerecorded verbal message.
 4. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein a song is prerecorded on the audio device.
 5. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein the prerecorded verbal message comprises instructions on using the consumer product.
 6. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 wherein the prerecorded verbal message comprises at least one warning related to the consumer product.
 7. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 in combination with one or more personal care products.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein the personal care products are a plurality of absorbent articles.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein the plurality of absorbent articles is a plurality of training pants.
 10. The packaging system set forth in claim 1 in combination with one or more food products.
 11. A packaging system for a plurality of absorbent articles comprising: a container having a bottom unit and a cover, the cover and bottom unit cooperatively defining an interior space, the cover being moveable relative to the bottom unit for gaining access to the interior space; a plurality of absorbent articles disposed within the interior space of the container; and an audio device operatively connected to the cover so that movement of the cover relative to the bottom unit to gain access to the interior space of the container activates the audio device.
 12. The packaging system set forth in claim 11 wherein the plurality of absorbent articles comprises a plurality of training pants.
 13. The packaging system set forth in claim 11 wherein the audio device is prerecorded with information relating to potty training a young child.
 14. The packaging system set forth in claim 13 wherein the audio device is prerecorded with instructions to the caregiver.
 15. The packaging system set forth in claim 13 wherein the audio device is prerecorded with a message directed to the wearer.
 16. The packaging system set forth in claim 12 wherein the audio device is programmed with music.
 17. The packaging system set forth in claim 16 wherein at least one of the training pants include an audio device that is activated when an insult occurs.
 18. The packaging system set forth in claim 12 wherein the training pants are free of audio devices.
 19. A packaging system for holding a food item comprises a container having a bottom unit and a cover, the bottom unit collectively defining an interior space for receiving the food therein, and an audio device having a prerecorded message.
 20. The packaging system set forth in claim 19 wherein the audio device has a prerecorded message with information related to the food disposed within the interior space.
 21. The packaging system set forth in claim 19 wherein the audio device has a prerecorded message with information unrelated to the food disposed within the interior space.
 22. A method of potty training a child, the method comprising: obtaining a training pants from a container having an audio device, the audio device being adapted for emitting a prerecorded message stored thereon, the message being directed to potty training; and playing the message stored on the audio device.
 23. The method set forth in claim 22 wherein playing the message comprises playing a message with instructions for the child.
 24. The method set forth in claim 22 wherein playing the message comprises playing a message with instructions for a caregiver of the child.
 25. The method set forth in claim 22 wherein playing the message comprises playing a message that encourages the child. 